9 ms·

Berkeley University Course on Starcraft Theory and Strategy

26 points by adambyrtek 16y ago

hjkl 16y ago
Some context: this was a DeCal class which is run by students. From the DeCal website: "DeCal is a student-run democratic education program at the UC Berkeley - here, students create and facilitate their own classes on a variety of (often unorthodox) subjects."
- meastham 16y ago
  Came here to say this. The DeCal program is really awesome. I took one titled "Advanced Unix Systems Administration" my first semester that was possibly more valuable than some of the faculty-led courses I was taking at the same time.
  - flanger 16y ago
    I second this -- the Unix System Administration series (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/decal/2008-spring/advanced/ http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/decal/2008-spring/advanced/) and the DeCal classes in general were some of the most rewarding classes I took at Cal.
jarin 16y ago
I would totally take that course. With a 0/10 league record, lord knows I need it.
- Devilboy 16y ago
  First you gotta work on the '/10' bit, the '0' will improve later.
  - reitzensteinm 16y ago
    Yeah, it's bit like saying "I tried to play the flute once, man I sucked at it!".
    - jarin 16y ago
      Haha, point taken. I just thought I would have at least ONE win after studying build orders and strategy and doing decently in Practice League. Come to think of it, Starcraft is a pretty good metaphor for entrepreneurship :)
      - whimsy 16y ago
        The system may have overestimated your league based on your placement. I was placed in Gold (even though I'm a low Silver) and had to suffer through about 30 games before I was demoted to Silver. Since then, however, I discovered that it's only league adjustment that happens at around 30 games. The system ALWAYS tries to keep you at a 50% win ratio... so even though you're placed in gold, and it says you're in gold, if you're really a bronze then the system will eventually have you playing against bronze. It just needs more data to figure out your skill level. TL;DR: Don't worry! Keep playing and eventually you'll have some wins under your belt. If you want, you can send me a replay and I'll give you some feedback. (I'm a Silver Zerg.)
- jpenney 16y ago
  Watch some of the day[9] dailies at http://day9tv.blip.tv http://day9tv.blip.tv and you'll improve at least a little bit. Watch the episode on the Mental Checklist (http://day9tv.blip.tv/file/3732340/ http://day9tv.blip.tv/file/3732340/) first.
  - whimsy 16y ago
    This. Since I started watching Day[9], I've figured out why I'm losing to Gold level players.
    - MikeCapone 16y ago
      Out of curiosity, what is your ranking and what did you discover about your play?
      - whimsy 16y ago
        I'm Silver ~60 but I was Bronze in Beta. The biggest thing lately has been drone timing - Day[9] suggests that reactive Zerg is the most powerful so long as you react perfectly, so I've been playing more reactively and I've been practicing better drone timing. Reactive Zerg tries to balance power-droning (making nothing but drones) with reacting to the opponent's offensive postures. Ideally, reactive Zerg should only produce military units right before an attack, and only produce those units necessary to fend off the attack without taking other damage to its economy. Reactive zerg wins mid-game or late-game after their economy blows past that of the opponent. I'm still in low Silver because I'm trying too hard to play reactive Zerg now... however, it's teaching me to keep growing my economy after the early mid-game. Once I switch back to a somewhat more offensive Zerg, I think I'll have an advantage that I didn't have before.
        MikeCapone 16y ago
        Thanks! I'm not a Zerg player (I'm Terran), but I thought this insight by Day9 about Zerg was excellent. I'll try to keep it in mind while playing against Zerg. Sometimes moving out and then retreating can be enough to make a Zerg over-react.
MikeCapone 16y ago
I'd totally take that too. Currently a silver player, 7th in my division. My goal is to make it to the gold league before the end of this year.
coryl 16y ago
Aw man, wish I had this stuff when I was in school.
rdamico 16y ago
"Calculus and Differential Equations are highly recommended for full understanding of the course." Wow, these guys are serious. Wonder what aspects of SC2 they plan to actually break down quantitatively using differential equations...
- ygd 16y ago
  Probably supply and demand stuff. I've never played SC, but I understand that you need to mine for "minerals" and spawn units and build buildings.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
mcharkin 16y ago
A couple of years ago Carnegie Mellon used to have a student led course on DOTA, although I am not sure intense and mathematical that was. My friends an I only joked about the course's existence. I am curious, is anybody aware of any other video game related courses at other universities?

26 points by adambyrtek 16y ago

hjkl 16y ago

Some context: this was a DeCal class which is run by students. From the DeCal website: "DeCal is a student-run democratic education program at the UC Berkeley - here, students create and facilitate their own classes on a variety of (often unorthodox) subjects."

meastham 16y ago
Came here to say this. The DeCal program is really awesome. I took one titled "Advanced Unix Systems Administration" my first semester that was possibly more valuable than some of the faculty-led courses I was taking at the same time.
- flanger 16y ago
  I second this -- the Unix System Administration series (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/decal/2008-spring/advanced/ http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/decal/2008-spring/advanced/) and the DeCal classes in general were some of the most rewarding classes I took at Cal.

jarin 16y ago

I would totally take that course. With a 0/10 league record, lord knows I need it.

Devilboy 16y ago
First you gotta work on the '/10' bit, the '0' will improve later.
- reitzensteinm 16y ago
  Yeah, it's bit like saying "I tried to play the flute once, man I sucked at it!".
  - jarin 16y ago
    Haha, point taken. I just thought I would have at least ONE win after studying build orders and strategy and doing decently in Practice League. Come to think of it, Starcraft is a pretty good metaphor for entrepreneurship :)
    - whimsy 16y ago
      The system may have overestimated your league based on your placement. I was placed in Gold (even though I'm a low Silver) and had to suffer through about 30 games before I was demoted to Silver. Since then, however, I discovered that it's only league adjustment that happens at around 30 games. The system ALWAYS tries to keep you at a 50% win ratio... so even though you're placed in gold, and it says you're in gold, if you're really a bronze then the system will eventually have you playing against bronze. It just needs more data to figure out your skill level. TL;DR: Don't worry! Keep playing and eventually you'll have some wins under your belt. If you want, you can send me a replay and I'll give you some feedback. (I'm a Silver Zerg.)
jpenney 16y ago
Watch some of the day[9] dailies at http://day9tv.blip.tv http://day9tv.blip.tv and you'll improve at least a little bit. Watch the episode on the Mental Checklist (http://day9tv.blip.tv/file/3732340/ http://day9tv.blip.tv/file/3732340/) first.
- whimsy 16y ago
  This. Since I started watching Day[9], I've figured out why I'm losing to Gold level players.
  - MikeCapone 16y ago
    Out of curiosity, what is your ranking and what did you discover about your play?
    - whimsy 16y ago
      I'm Silver ~60 but I was Bronze in Beta. The biggest thing lately has been drone timing - Day[9] suggests that reactive Zerg is the most powerful so long as you react perfectly, so I've been playing more reactively and I've been practicing better drone timing. Reactive Zerg tries to balance power-droning (making nothing but drones) with reacting to the opponent's offensive postures. Ideally, reactive Zerg should only produce military units right before an attack, and only produce those units necessary to fend off the attack without taking other damage to its economy. Reactive zerg wins mid-game or late-game after their economy blows past that of the opponent. I'm still in low Silver because I'm trying too hard to play reactive Zerg now... however, it's teaching me to keep growing my economy after the early mid-game. Once I switch back to a somewhat more offensive Zerg, I think I'll have an advantage that I didn't have before.
      - MikeCapone 16y ago
        Thanks! I'm not a Zerg player (I'm Terran), but I thought this insight by Day9 about Zerg was excellent. I'll try to keep it in mind while playing against Zerg. Sometimes moving out and then retreating can be enough to make a Zerg over-react.

MikeCapone 16y ago

I'd totally take that too. Currently a silver player, 7th in my division. My goal is to make it to the gold league before the end of this year.

coryl 16y ago

Aw man, wish I had this stuff when I was in school.

rdamico 16y ago

"Calculus and Differential Equations are highly recommended for full understanding of the course." Wow, these guys are serious. Wonder what aspects of SC2 they plan to actually break down quantitatively using differential equations...

ygd 16y ago
Probably supply and demand stuff. I've never played SC, but I understand that you need to mine for "minerals" and spawn units and build buildings.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

mcharkin 16y ago

A couple of years ago Carnegie Mellon used to have a student led course on DOTA, although I am not sure intense and mathematical that was. My friends an I only joked about the course's existence. I am curious, is anybody aware of any other video game related courses at other universities?